Family and Medical Leave Act

VSU PROCESS

Any regular employee who has been employed on a half-time or greater basis by Valdosta State University for at least twelve months is eligible for twelve weeks of family leave during a twelve month period commencing on the date the family leave begins. Family leave is unpaid leave; however, Family Medical Leave will be administered to run concurrently with the university sponsored annual and sick leave if such leave is available.

It is the supervisors obligation to designate leave as FMLA qualifying when ever they become aware of an FMLA qualifying event. It is not up to the employee to pick and chose whether or not to use FMLA time.

Twelve weeks of entitlement translates to 12 weeks of an employee’s regular schedule. The maximum entitlement for FMLA leave is 480 hours in the FMLA year for a full-time employee. The entitlement is prorated based on FTE, so an employee at .50 FTE would have a maximum entitlement of 240 hours in the FMLA entitlement year

Returning from Leave

Upon return from an extended leave, including FMLA leave, an employee will be returned to the same position or a position in the same classification unless he or she and the university have agreed in writing otherwise. Supervisors may request certification of return to fitness upon return. FMLA leave will not affect the benefits normally accrued by employees during a leave with or without pay, as appropriate.